Forgetting Sarah Marshall

In desperate need of a vacation after being unceremoniously dumped by his TV-star girlfriend, a man travels to a lavish Hawaiian resort to nurse his wounds and forget his heartache, only to discover that his ex and her handsome new boyfriend are currently staying at the exact same island hot spot. Peter Bretter (Jason Segel) may be just another struggling musician,

Overview

In desperate need of a vacation after being unceremoniously dumped by his TV-star girlfriend, a man travels to a lavish Hawaiian resort to nurse his wounds and forget his heartache, only to discover that his ex and her handsome new boyfriend are currently staying at the exact same island hot spot. Peter Bretter (Jason Segel) may be just another struggling musician, but for the past six years he's been dating Sarah Marshall (Kristen Bell), one of the hottest stars on television. Sarah is everything in the world to Peter, so when she kindly but firmly tells him that they should each go their separate ways, he is absolutely devastated. Later, after attempting to salvage his ego by awkwardly attempting to become a womanizer and nearly losing his job because of a nervous breakdown, an emotionally fragile Peter attempts to put the past behind him by escaping to the sun-soaked beaches of Oahu. While at first it seems as if Peter has discovered the perfect prescription for a bad case of lost love, his plan soon turns to dust when Sarah and her new rock-star boyfriend, Aldous (Russell Brand), turn up at the exact same resort. Though accepting Sarah's lavish new lifestyle won't be easy for the crestfallen Peter, the laid-back companionship of flirtatious resort employee Rachel (Mila Kunis) -- not to mention a continuous regimen of fruity cocktails -- goes a long way in mending the wounds of a broken heart. Forgetting Sarah Marshall was penned by Segel and produced by Judd Apatow. Fun with Dick and Jane screenwriter Nicholas Stoller makes his directorial debut. The cast also includes Paul Rudd, Bill Hader, Jack McBrayer, and Jonah Hill.

Editorial Reviews

All Movie Guide - Perry Seibert

Stories about young men unable to get over the girl who left them are as old as movies themselves. What sets Forgetting Sarah Marshall apart from the pack are the flesh and blood characters. For a first-time screenwriter, Jason Segel aptly demonstrates a deep understanding of a cardinal rule in writing that everybody is flawed -- capturing this in both his script and in his performance as the severely heartbroken Peter. The movie expertly plays with stereotypes about aw-shucks good guys, horny superstars, and seemingly perfect new lovers, but it also pushes deeper into where those clichés come from. A savvy observer of human behavior, Segel treats his characters with empathy and compassion. He distills why specific romantic relationships happen, why they go on too long, and why they sometimes don't happen when they should. Had he wanted to dig a few layers deeper, Segel could have crafted a serious story about the inability of twentysomethings to commit -- the evidence suggests if he wants to try he might have a great drama in him. Thankfully, he has just as much skill as a gag writer, allowing him to wring more laughs than tears out of the pain. All the performers give memorable comedic turns. From Jonah Hill's starstruck resort employee to Bill Hader's supportive stepbrother to Jack McBrayer's sexually frustrated newlywed, everyone in the supporting cast gets at least one scene to really shine. The leads impress as well: Mila Kunis shows no traces at all of her dumb rich girl from That '70s Show. She is more than up to the challenge of playing her character's strengths, while hinting at the fear that keeps her from leaving the island paradise she has made her home. Kristen Bell captures every detail of the insecure actress Sarah Marshall, but finds quirks to make her much more than a cardboard cutout. You can see, beyond her fame and her looks, why Peter loved her. And Russell Brand delivers a breakout performance as a sexually voracious rock star who would be detestable if he weren't so happy to share his encyclopedic knowledge of all things carnal with anyone who needs it. As promising as these young faces are, this winning comedy is, above all, the launching pad for Jason Segel. As a writer he shows incredible skill for character development and as an actor he seems quite fearless. He plays the infamous opening break-up scene with a torrent of blubbering emotion -- not to mention the most male nudity in a comedy since Walk Hard. Segel seems unafraid of the truth no matter how embarrassing or painful -- this is both the mark of an artist and what makes Forgetting Sarah Marshall his coming-out party.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

Great movie! Takes a funny approach to the miserable time when you do break up with someone!

Anonymous

More than 1 year ago

Anonymous

More than 1 year ago

uppereastsidemommy

More than 1 year ago

this is a great purchase, as it not only has the original version of the movie, but also the uncut version, not to mention a number of goof ups, and some other interesting footage. jason segel is terrific in the role of "peter bretter" as are the other players. cute, funny, ridiculous movie. you will love it.

Taberculosis

More than 1 year ago

I really thought this would be stupid. But it wasn't at all. Every character was great. Paul Rudd's character made me laugh so hard that I cried.

Guest

More than 1 year ago

I procrastinated seeing this in theatres even though everyone kept telling me it's so much better than Superbad (my favorite film of last year). Well I got a chance to view it recently, and it is nowhere near Superbad, in my opinion. It is hilarious and Russell Brand as &quot Aldous Snow&quot is my favorite. If you like the movies below, you have to see this, it's the same comedy. Also, be alert to turn away because this movie contains 4 or 5 shots of Jason Segel's member. It adds comedy to the scene, but unexpected. Check this out.

Heavy_Metal_Sushi

More than 1 year ago

Having never seen it before, I picked up Forgetting Sarah Marshall on a whim, after having a good friend of mine tell me it was pretty funny. At first, I knew it would be somewhat funny and enjoyable, and was also looking for forward to seeing Kristen Bell and Mila Kunis throughout it, (who are 2 very pretty young actresses), but I didn't realize how much I would wind up enjoying it. The only main thing I wasn't a big fan of was seeing Jason Segel's anatomy a couple of different time, but then again, if they can show all sorts of female nudity in different movies, I guess it's only fair that they show some male nudity, so it isn't a big deal. Besides, it's easy to overlook though, because the movie itself is so much more than that. Not only was it meticulously funny, but it was also somewhat charming and even a bit inventive in some regards...and all of the actors do a good job at their roles. I don't want to say too much about the film, or it might spoil some of it, but if you like romantic comedies, or if you just plain like comedies in general & can tollerate a little bit of crude humor & nudity, then this movie is right up your ally.

Mummbles

More than 1 year ago

While this movie is hilarious it also is true to heart if you ever have gone through one of thos break-ups when your heart gets ripped out of your chest, stomped on, and then thrown back into you with the cords ripped off and all tattered. yeah...anyway this was one of my top films of 08, and is good stuff, its nice to see a funny comedy with good actors that works. If you liked knocked up you will enjoy forgetting sarah marshall...i know i will never forget her..wj

Anonymous

More than 1 year ago

The plot of this movie is a little far-fetched but who cares because it's hilarious. The actors are consistent and create laughs throughout!

Anonymous

More than 1 year ago

I did not originally want to see this movie because I am tired of the appatow productions and not really a fan of Jason Segel or Jonah Hill, but when I rented this the musical ending was totally worth it. A musical about Dracula featuring puppets! Brilliant! Russell Brand as Aldus Snow also did his due diligence. Definitely worthy of adding to the dvd library!

Anonymous

More than 1 year ago

This film featured strong acting turns. The script was somewhat predictable, and took some strictly for laughs detours, but the quirkier subplotting and surprising revelations about some of the characters made the length worthwhile. Overall, a satisfying watch.